Instrumentation for

Motion Analysis

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Objectives
1. Identify and describe instrumentation for the
collection and analysis of kinematic data in
human movement.
2. Identify and describe instrumentation for the
collection and analysis of kinetic data in
human movement.
3. Describe the limitations of biomechanical
instrumentation.
4. Critically examine the research literature in
the field of human movement with an
understanding of the methodologies used.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis
 Data that describe a motion are
collected with a variety of instruments:
 Video and film.
 High-speed cameras.
 Sophisticated motion tracking systems.

 Primary purpose is to enable people to

analyze motion beyond the capabilities
of their own physical senses.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis
 Still cameras:
multiple images on a
single picture.
 Tiny lights on joints
and extremities.
 Taken in a dark room
with an open shutter.
 Motion appears as
light streaks.
Fig 18.7

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis
 Auto-advance cameras:
 Allows rapid film advancement and
exposure.

Fig 23.1
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis
 High-speed cameras:
 Speed of 500 to 20,000 frames per
second.
 Provides ample number of clear data
points for analyzing the fastest of human
and implement motions.
 A system that permits single frame
advance so that measurements may be
made of the image.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis
 Digitizing:
 The term “digitize” simply
means that specific data
points from each frame are
recorded (usually by
computer) as pairs of x and
y coordinates.

Fig 23.6
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Instrumentation for
Kinematic Analysis

 Video:
 Lower in cost than movie film with instant
playback.
 May also be digitized.

 Two-dimensional or three-dimensional
systems available.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Basic Photoinstrumentation
Procedures
 Basic measurements in kinematics
are time and displacement (both
angular and linear).
 Maximum accuracy of these
measurements is important.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Time
 Based on the frame rate, or the rate at which
images are photographed.
 Home movie camera: 24 frame/sec.
 Home video: 30 frames/sec.
 High-speed cameras: up to 20,000 frames/sec.
 Frame rate should be determined according to
the speed at which an activity is performed.
 faster performance, higher frame rate.
 offers more detailed analysis.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Displacement
 Camera placement: 2-D, perpendicular
to the plane of motion.
 Scale reference is used for calibration.

Fig 23.5
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Other Photoinstrumentation
Procedures
 Camera must be absolutely level and still.
 a tripod and level are used.
 More light is required with higher shutter
speeds.
 Markers on joints and body parts.

Fig 18.6

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Optoeletronic Systems
 Subject marked with light emitting
diodes (LEDs).
 Cameras are sensitive to light sources
and transmit the LED location in space
to a computer as a series of x,y
coordinates.
 Kinematic calculations are done based
on changes in these coordinates.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Optoeletronic Systems
 Pictorial output usually is a stick figure.

Fig 23.3
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Three-Dimensional (3D) Systems
 Camera systems configured to collect data in
three planes.
 Simplest method is to position two cameras
with axes perpendicular.
 Cameras must be carefully synchronized.
 System must be calibrated in 3D using a cube
or a multi-armed device.
 Direct linear transformation is used for
conversion of 2D pictures to a 3D image.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Real Time Systems
 Motion tracking system that operates in
real time.
 Similar to virtual reality simulations.
 Currently light based or electromagnetic
in nature.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Electrogoniometer (elgon)
and Accelerometer
 Elgon is a double-arm
goniometer with a
potentiometer for an axis.
 Angular displacement measured
by changes in electrical current
 Accelerometer measures
linear acceleration.
 Global positioning satellite
receivers (GPSr) also useful
for time and distance data on Fig 23.7
a larger scale.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Instrumentation for
Kinetic Analysis
 Usually collected through the use of:
 Dynamometers: spring and cable tension
instruments that measure static muscle
strength.
 grip strength dynamometer
 Force transducers: one type is a strain
gauge - altered resistance due to strain
produces a change in output voltage that
can be recorded.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Adaptable Pressure
Sensing Materials
 Piezo electric film
and force sensing
resistors (FSRs).
 Variety of sizes.
 Connected to a
computer through an
analog to digital Fig 23.8
converter.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Force Plate
 Senses ground reaction forces.
 Walking, running, jumping, landing, etc.
 Linear forces and torques acting at the
point of impact are identified.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Electromyography (EMG)
 Electrical activity (action
potentials) from the
muscles are sensed by
surface or indwelling
electrodes.
 Signal is amplified and
transmitted to a
recording device.
Fig 23.10
 Quantitative analysis by
“normalizing” the EMG
output.
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Computer Models
and Simulation
 Kinematic, kinetic, and
EMG data are compiled
and synthesized into
mathematical computer
models.
 Allows for exploration of
movement without
endangering humans.
Fig 23.11
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Computer Simulations
 Used to predict limits of human
performance.

Fig 23.12

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Skeletal Muscle Simulation
PE = Parallel elastic component
SE = Series elastic component
CE = Contractile element

Fig 23.13
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Using Quantitative Analysis
 There should be some clear purpose in
mind when one sets out to collect
movement data. This purpose will
determine:
 Type of data collected.
 Methodology for collection.
 Instrumentation for collection.

 The analysis should be aimed toward

some end result.
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.
Optimization of Performance
 All factors that make up the motion are
combined in such a way as to produce
the most effective result.
 The goal of much of the quantitative
biomechanical analysis is to
 Provide a mathematical description of the
relationship between various factors that
comprise the performance.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Injury Prevention
 Injuries are often the result of forces
applied in excessive or inappropriate
ways.
 Quantitative data collection can provide
valuable information about the risk of
injury in any movement.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.

Rehabilitation
 In most therapeutic and rehabilitation
settings, quantitative data are collected
on patients on a regular basis.
 These data are then compared with
models of normal patterns, and from
these comparisons, programs of
rehabilitation and remediation are
designed.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All Rights Reserved.